The axial concentration distribution of both particles with better wetting (forming non-attached system) and poorer wetting (forming attached system) was investigated in a vertical gas-liquid-solid fluidized bed of 4.2 cm in diameter and 130 cm in height with the solids holdup less than 0.05. The one-dimensional sedimentation-dispersion model could be used satisfactorily to describe the axial distribution of solids holdup by modifying only a model parameter, i.e. by means of the terminal settling velocity minus a certain value, which is a function of gas velocity and considers the effect of an additional drag force resulted from attached rising bubbles. The axial profiles of solid concentration predicted are in good agreement with experimental results. This model also explains reasonably the different axial distributions of solid concentration, i.e. the solids holdup decreases as the axial height increases in non-attached system, but increases with the axial height in attached system at a given gas velocity.